I a huge fan of Janis Joplin as well as Airplane, and I recently found a track by Big Brother and the Holding Co. called "Light is Faster Than Sound". When I listened to it, it struck me as VERY Airplane-y.

The lyrics, the guitar, the vocals, and especially the drumming seemed very Surrealistic Pillow to me. I was wondering if anyone knows this track, and if it struck them the same way.

As I recall, Janis and Grace were friends, which only makes me more curious about this track.

It is the song from Big Brother&Holding Co.first album(selftitled,1967).It was written by Peter Albin(bass and group's original lead singer).The song is very typical for Haight-Ashbury early psychedelia.

I am a very huge Janis fan too, and I know this song very well (I think it's great, by the way). I wouldn't say Big Brother tried to imitate Airplane! I love Big Brother's music as well as Airplane's, and I think the two bands played diffferent kinds of music (moreover, I would say that Big Brother was less proffessional than Airplane).In my opinion Big Brother's music is less psychedelic than Jefferson's - that's why one of their most psychedelic songs - 'Light Is Faster Than Sound' -may sound like Airplane. But no, never will I agree that they tried to imitate Airplane. As it has already been written, most of the San Franciscan bands at the time tried to become as psychedelic as they could. And Big Brother, I think, is a really original band with it's own music style!

If you smile at me
You know I will understand
'Cause this is something everybody everywhere
Does in the same language

It does have an Airplane kinda vibe, doesn't it? But no, I don't think they were imitating the Airplane circa Surrealistic Pillow. I don't have the CDs in front of me but all you'd have to do would be to look up the release date of Pillow and recording date of the first Big Brother album. If the song was recorded before Pillow was released your question is answered.